The present invention generally relates to a dental implant, and more particularly to a bone implant adapted to be received in the jaw bone of the human body, for the purpose of anchoring a desired structure, such as an artificial tooth, to the bone. The present invention also relates to a jig and method of mounting the implant on the jaw bone.
Dental implants of various types are already known. Most of the known dental implants, however, have not been entirely satisfactory for the purposes intended. For example, some implants are in the form of pins, nails or screws which are directly urged into the jaw bone. The disadvantage of these types of implants is that they do not provide sufficient anchorate in the jaw bone under great stresses. Consequently, the danger exists that the implant will, after extended use, become loose from the jaw bone to which it is connected.
According to still other types of known implants, these are in the form of wedge members which are hammered into the jaw bone. The disadvantage with this last type of implants is that all these implants rely for their retention in the jaw bone upon the pressure relationship which exists when the implants are wedged or forced into the jaw bone. However, the jaw bone frequently deteriorates with time and the wedging relationship between the jaw bone and the implants may be lost -- sometimes resulting in the implant becoming loose.
Another disadvantage of the known implants is the difficulty and inconvenience of establishing the latter in the jaw bone. The procedures for installing the implants are generally time consuming and uncomfortable to the patient. Implants which provide the possibility of becoming loose only necessitate further dental work at a later time.
According to one dental appliance known in the prior art, an elongate anchoring pin is disposed transversely through the jaw bone. The ends of the anchoring pin continue to project through opposing surfaces of the jaw bone after the implant has been fully mounted thereon. This dental implant has the disadvantage that the extended portions of the transverse anchoring member interfere with the tissues surrounding the jaw bone and interfere with the growth of these tissues at the points where incisions have been made in the flesh covering the jaw bone prior to implantation.
According to another known bone implant, the implant includes a screw which is threaded into the jaw bone and has a free end thereof which remains projecting beyond the jaw bone for fastening any desired structure to the screw. Stabilizing pins are operatively connected to the screw to stabilize the latter to the bone. However, the pins are in the form of nails or stakes which must be hammered into the jaw bone. As suggested above, this procedure may be traumatic to the patient and, at the least, be uncomfortable. Also, the bone implant under discussion frequently results in the pins extending beyond the jaw bone--protruding into the mouth beyond the soft tissues surrounding the jaw bone. The portions of the pin extending into the mouth may interfere with the healing of the tissues as well as possibly forming discomfort to the patient.